This blog is all about my little seed farm in Victoria, Australia. Follow my progress as I grow and sell rare, unusual and heritage vegetable seed for local seed companies.
I have nearly ten acres now of urban farm, using empty house blocks as well as a small rural block. Check in often to see what I am up to.

Monday, April 29, 2013

Horseradish escaping

With my Jerusalem artichokes usually keeping within their bounds fairly well even though most people tell of how weedy it gets I was fully prepared to think that they are also over-reacting about horseradish. Was I in for a surprise, these things try to escape whenever they can. In this picture it is hard to see the scale but the small plants are 1m apart so the furthest is 2m from the mother plant. I am really going to have to watch these. They put out running shoots so fast that you only have to turn your back for a couple of days and another one is there saying " HUH, can't catch me".

I really hope growing these is worth it. I will dig them up when they die down more and if I don't get any interest I will pull all the plants out before they grow bigger, and wider. They are starting to die down now and another frost or two should make them dormant.
A friend gave me a tip the other day. She said that instead of using vinegar when you grate it, use sour cream instead. I will try it soon and give you the results.

The asparagus is really showing its autumn colours. This is the row for the house but it is getting to big and unruly that I will transplant them this winter to the commercial asparagus beds. At least they will have more room there. I love this old, French asparagus variety - Precoce d'Argenteuil. It is incredibly productive with large, fat spears and great flavour. Another plus is that the female plants shoot around 3 weeks or more after the males so it extends the season so you don't just have one big glut then nothing.
People say that you should pull up the females because they don't produce as well as the males but I have never found that in this variety.

No comments:

Post a Comment

Contact Form

About Me

I live in Victoria, Australia. I used to travel with my pack donkeys and live in the Australian bush but now that I am settled in a small town I am working for myself growing unusual fruits and vegetables.
I have started a small market garden to sell fresh heirloom fruit and veg at the local markets.